The present invention has utility in several different applications wherein a conveyor is used to move material from one place to another. One area where the present invention finds particular utility is in the area of garment production wherein conveyorized cutting tables are employed to cut pattern pieces from stacks of fabric layers referred to as a lay. Accordingly, the present invention will be described as being applied to such use; however, this should not be construed in a limiting sense.
In the mass production of garments, pattern pieces used to fabricate a finished item of clothing are typically cut from multiple layers in a single operation. Generally, this is accomplished by supporting the layers of fabric on a work support surface that is conveyorized. During operation, a vacuum is typically drawn from below the work supporting surface to hold the layers of fabric in place. A cutting head having a reciprocating knife mounted thereon moves along the cutting table, generating the individual pattern pieces by cutting through the layers of fabric in response to commands issued from a controller. When a cutting operation is complete, the layers of fabric with the pattern pieces cut therefrom are advanced off of the cutting table by the conveyorized work supporting surface.
Historically, the conveyorized work supporting surfaces on cutting tables have been configured as shown in FIG. 1 with of a plurality of individual slats positioned in a side-by-side relationship relative to one another. Each individual slat was bolted to a bracket that in turn was bolted to a conveyor drive chain. As the chain moved relative to the cutting table, the individual slats also moved with it. In addition to being mounted on the conveyor drive chain, each slat also had a plurality of bristle blocks mounted thereon and in side-by-side relationship extending longitudinally along the entire length of the slat. A problem which sometimes occurs in devices configured in this manner is that it may be necessary to remove one or more slats from the conveyor to perform maintenance operations on the cutting table. This is quite difficult when the above-described design is employed, as the slats are quite narrow and insufficient space is provided to comfortably access the bolts holding the slats to the chain. In addition, with the other slats in place, it is difficult for a maintenance worker to reach the bolts retaining the slats to the drive chain as the area he/she must work in is quite narrow, initially only equal to the width of a single slat. This problem results in increased down time for the cutting table, thereby reducing production and increasing the cost of the finished product.
Based on the foregoing, it is a general object of the present invention to overcome the problems and drawbacks associated with prior art conveyorized work supporting surfaces.
It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a conveyorized work supporting surface comprised of a plurality of individual slats wherein each slat can be easily and quickly removed therefrom.